60 FISHES AND FISHING. 



will not be so great obstacles as is generally sup 

 posed. 



In Scotland salmon fishing begins on the first of 

 February, and ends the thirteenth of September. 



The salmon fishery of the river Thames is a subject 

 of sufficient and proper importance to engage the at- 

 ^ention of the Thames Angling Preservation Society, 

 or the Court of Conservancy of the city of London, or 

 even of the Houses of Parliament, to ascertain how 

 far it may be possible to renew the breed of salmon in 

 that river, and to have such alterations made in the 

 weirs as would allow that fish to pass to and from the 

 sea. Surely the engineers of the city of London 

 could accomplish the object by the " neat contrivance 

 of staircases" as Mr. Cubitt designated them, or some 

 other method, to allow salmon free ingress and egress 

 to and from the fresh water. In order to restock the 

 Thames with salmon, obtain a male and female fish 

 at the proper season, and artificially breed young 

 salmon as is practised now so extensively and success 

 fully ; let them be protected and fed for some time, 

 and let that protection be continued until the young 

 fish are able to provide for their own wants ; at the 

 same time let active measures be taken to destroy as 

 much as possible the large pike and perch in the 

 neighbourhood where the young brood are set at 

 liberty ; they will remain in the fresh water until , 



